It's a topic that would come up regularly in my dog training classes; retractable leashes - are they good or bad? It would be easy to reply with a binary answer, but it's important for dog owners to understand the why with these types of leashes. The list of things that can go wrong, and the injuries that can occur - to both your and your dog - with the use of retractable leashes is quite long, but I'm going to focus on my own personal top 5.
Even in my pet photography sessions in and around the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex, I use long (25' and 50' respectively) biothane leashes to trail behind a dog if we're creating running, action images in an area that's not 1,000% safe for a dog to be off leash. The leash is then removed as part of the retouching process. Why biothane? Because it's soft, flexible, lightweight, waterproof and easy to clean.
With closer-in portrait images, I use specially-made thin, high-test cord leashes that are a bit easier to remove in post processing. If the handler can't get far enough out of the frame, then I remove them too. I don't use retractable leashes in my pet portraits sessions, nor in my training career, or with my own dogs. It's a hard no for me.
Retractable Leashes Pose a Danger To Both You And Your Dog
A retractable leash is a kind of leash that allows the handler to release and retract the lead that's attached to the dog. They typically come in a bulky, hard plastic housing with a grip handle and have some sort of brake-and-release button. The leash is spring-loaded, sort of like the power cord on your vacuum cleaner, and when the brake is released, it will quickly suck back up into the housing. See a medium and small example of retractable leashes pictured below.
With these particular examples, the last 10" or so of the leash, the part that attaches to the dog's collar, is flat nylon webbing, but in the next image, you'll see that what's inside the housing is a thin, round cord.
(click on any picture to view full screen)
1) My number one reason I dislike retractable leashes is that they're just too long. Some extend out 26 feet! How can you properly control your dog if they're more than 20 feet away from you? That means they're around the corner before you are and could potentially dart into the street after a squirrel or rabbit, come across a snake, or make uninvited contact with another dog (just because your dog is friendly does not mean that others are!).
2) The second reason for my animus toward retractable, or flexi-leashes are rope-burn injuries; to you, and your dog. I speak from personal experience on this one. Years ago I was walking our dog Penny along the popular canal system in Valley Ranch (Irving) when I person walking a dog on a flexi-leash came toward us and the dog got excited and ran a quick circle around us - around my legs - with the leash and I felt the searing hot pain of a nylon rope burn on my bare calves. It took the skin right off and took weeks to heal.
We later had a foster dog who had a thin rope of a scar on its back leg that never grew any hair. I'd bet $100 it was a rope burn from a retractable leash. I've read horror stories about dogs actually losing limbs due to retractable leashes, the rope literally slicing through muscle and tendon.
3) Continuing with the risk of injury to your dog are the trachea, neck, and spinal injuries that are caused by a dog getting up a 26 foot head of steam only to be stopped in their tracks, and yanked off their feet in an instant when they reach the end of the retractable leash.
Additional handler injuries make an appearance in number 3 as well, many people have been pulled right off their feet by a dog that reaches the end of the leash and keeps going. This can result in bruises, "road rash," broken bones, and worse. I remember one summer I had 3 separate training clients in my classes that were in casts due to injures incurred while walking the dog!
4) Next on my list is that the plastic grip is bulky and not particularly ergonomic for relaxed dog-walking. The handler must apply constant pressure to maintain control of the housing (note the scuffing on the units pictured above). This sounds easy, but I can't tell you how many stories I've heard about people dropping the housing - and this is a bigger deal than simply dropping a 6 foot leash.
When the hard plastic housing hits the concrete or pavement, it makes a loud crash which the dog then wants to run away from. And the scary thing that made the noise? It's now chasing them! I literally saw a terrified dog running down a busy street with a flexi-leash banging and bouncing along behind it while it's owner was in hot pursuit behind it. Even if it ends without injury, a traumatic episode like this can result in fear of leashes, and even walks for the dog.
5) Rounding out my top 5 list is leash pulling. I would have to say that pulling on the leash was the number one complaint I would hear from pet owners. In many of those cases, the dogs were being walked on retractable leashes. By their very nature, flexible leashes train dogs to pull while on leash, because they learn that pulling extends the lead. Add to this the fact that you're 20+ feet away from your dog, you're not in a position to deliver reinforcement for the correct behavior when it does happen.
I understand that there are scenarios where having a longer leash would come in handy. Maybe your dog needs a bit more freedom to exercise on the walk - I know my border collie, Rooney does - that's why I walk him on a 15 foot biothane leash. He gets 30 feet to run back and forth and I just manage the length of leash accordingly, allowing it to drag on the ground and simply wipe it clean when we get home.
The important take away from this post is that retractable leashes can cause significant injury to both you, and your dog, and there are other, safer options to allow more freedom, more sniffing, swimming, etc. so your pup can continue to enjoy the bonding and enrichment a walk with you provides.
Pictured below is a perfect example of a happy dog on a 6 foot leash.
All Around The Pet Photography Blog Circle
It's about walking the dog this week in the pet photographer's blog circle, from daily walks with her own dogs to photographing you with your dog on a walk to working with Atlanta dog walkers - let's take a walk with Georgia dog photographer Courtney of CM Bryson Photography and then continue clicking on the link at the bottom of each post for an around the world tour of fun and informative dog photography.
Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography is a Certified Professional Photographer with the organization Professional Photographers of America; a designation held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry and professionalism. After a 10-year career as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge and Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA), Tracy retired from dog training earlier this year to spend more time behind the camera and with her family.
Penny Whistle specializes in both on-location and studio photography providing pet, equine, family, couples & engagement and high school senior portraits as well as corporate headshots and commercial photography services in her studio located in historic downtown Carrollton as well as on location in Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and surrounding communities in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas.
1 Comments
Sep 2, 2022, 8:26:13 AM
Terri Jankelow - Oh how I agree with you on all those points!